Lavender or Albino California King?

[SerpentineDream]

So I picked up this little gal at PetSmart of all places. Normally I avoid buying animals from big box stores like the plague but she was just too nice to pass up. They had identified her as a high red Goins king snake, which made me laugh. I'm sure she's a California king and originally I assumed she was an albino. But then I looked closer and realized her eyes aren't fully red... only her pupils are red.

I'm thinking Lavender because she's darker than most albinos and because her eyes aren't solid bright red. The only thing that makes me doubt this is that usually the irises of a Lavender's eyes are more blueish and hers are more yellowish. Maybe she could even be a Lavender albino?

What do you all think?

BTW she looks like a Delilah to me. Unless anyone's got another suggestion that jumps out that's probably what I'll name her.

There is a clear shot of her eyes only because she stopped wriggling long enough to bite me. ;)

http://i.imgur.com/mFoEV1g.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bwvCKwY.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/aa81mr3.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8b5IhgM.jpg

[Scubadiver59]

Looks like she has really taken to you...a love bite on the first date! :rolleyes:

[SerpentineDream]

Another thought.... She has more speckling on her than is typical for a California king. I wonder if she might actually be a T+ Lavender or T- amel Florida / Brooks king snake?

Although she has much less speckling on her middle and tail, I still think the amount of speckling on her front end is indicative that I may have been wrong about my initial assessment of her subspecies. So is the narrow banding, which I've seen on Cal Kings but is more common in Florida / Brooks kings. If her color scheme was different I'd say she looks more like my neonate normal Florida kings than my normal Cal kings.

[SerpentineDream]

Looks like she has really taken to you...a love bite on the first date! :rolleyes:

Several love bites! She also showered me with musk while I was sexing her and then proceeded to rattle her tail. She's a feisty little booger.

[TRD]

To me looks like Lampropeltis getula meansi (formally L. g. goini)... Can be floridana too, bit hard to tell, the patterning on the body throws me off (seems rather narrow for a meansi -ie, too many bands)

[SerpentineDream]

Got in touch with a king snake breeder who does a lot of morphs....

It turns out she's an an albino Florida king snake (L.g. floridana) but has lavender body coloration, which is why it was so confusing. He said she's extraordinarily vivid for an albino.

Now to find a mate for her that is as nice (well, at least in appearance). :D

[Andy_G]

Looks like a lavender albino Florida king. I wouldn't be calling that just an albino.

[SerpentineDream]

Looks like a lavender albino Florida king. I wouldn't be calling that just an albino.

Yeah, I think you're right. She's a really vivid deep purplish color. Albinos are more cotton candy pink.